OKEMOS, Mich. — Inside of the Meridian Mall in Okemos is a museum like no other.
“This museum is dedicated to raise awareness about autism and the history of its foundation," said Xavier DeGroat, CEO of the Xavier DeGroat Autism Foundation.
He opened the Autism History Museum in February 2022.
“There was no such thing as an autism history museum, so I started this to help also increase public awareness and acceptance of autism, and tour people, and educate people about our different minds because of my own diagnoses at the age of four," DeGroat said.
When you walk through the doors, your eyes will be drawn to a wall full of autism history with some familiar faces like Albert Einstein and Elon Musk.
“They'll learn a lot about the great revolutions and early 1900s to the present. And how many people with autism have helped satisfy technologies or sciences or even government relations," DeGroat said.
He hopes his museum will inspire others.
The museum decorated with some of our childhood favorites also has toys dedicated to help kids with autism.
“Kids with autism have coping sensational differences because they will be overloaded with stimulation," Degroat said. “But when they play with toys, it also will help increase motor skills.”
The museum is open on the first and last Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each month. But you can’t just walk in, you have to set up a tour.
“We can help them a lot with touring and explain what's what in here, and they're very happy walking out more than they were when they came in," DeGroat said.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up for a tour and take a dive into history.
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